Lake House (Number 91) And Attached Area Railings And Ravenhurst

Lake House (Number 91) and attached area railings, and Ravenhurst (Number 93), Pittville Lawn, Cheltenham

A pair of semi-detached villas, now comprising a house (No.91) and flats (No.93) with attached area railings to No.91. Built in 1833-4, probably to designs by architect Robert Stokes. The buildings have undergone later alterations including the removal of the attic storey to the west wing circa 1970-90. Originally known as Nos 1 and 2 Essex Villas, they were among the first inhabitants Helen and Emma Thornhill, spinsters, and William Walcot, Squire of Peterborough. The villas were constructed as part of the development of this area undertaken for Joseph Pitt between 1825-42, with the general layout designed by architect John Forbes. These are counted among the most architecturally distinguished of the Pittville villas, with their consistent three-dimensional treatment of all elevations recalling work by Dyer in Bristol during the 1830s.

The buildings are constructed of stucco over brick with concealed roofs, brick and stucco lateral stacks with cornices, iron rear porches and area railings.

The villas are arranged back to back with central hallways. No.91 (west facade) is two storeys with three first-floor windows. Stucco detailing includes pairs of pilasters with tooled capitals at the ends and between windows, two central fluted Ionic columns in antis surmounted by a crowning dentil entablature and blocking course, and lion masks to the cornice. Windows have pilasters to the jambs and cornices; those to the first floor feature arcaded aprons. The windows are 1/1 replacement sashes in plain reveals with sills. The central entrance is a porch with similar pillars and entablature, with double eight-panel doors.

No.93 (east facade) is two storeys plus an attic storey with three first-floor windows. It has a similar facade with a central entrance of double part-glazed doors and an inserted porch with two Doric columns and a cornice with modillions. The crowning frieze and cornice features a blocking course.

The garden facade is two and three storeys (at left) on a basement with six first-floor windows. Stepped breakforwards to the second and first window bays are articulated by end paired Doric pilasters with a continuous dentil entablature over the first floor; the breakforward continues to the attic storey with a continuous frieze, cornice and blocking course. Windows to the breakforwards on the ground and first floors have pilastered jambs; those to the first floor also have arcaded aprons, whilst those to the ground floor are taller. Other windows have tooled architraves, those to the ground floor with frieze and cornice; some windows retain blind boxes. The rear retains some 6/6 sashes.

The interior of No.93 features an open-well staircase with alternate stick balusters and embellished rods and a wreathed handrail; it is reputed to have some original marble fireplaces. The interior was not otherwise inspected.

The rear porch to No.91 has scrolls to the uprights and a tent roof with scrolled lozenges to the side balustrades. The area has a similar scrolled lozenge balustrade.